Sit & Sew Radio

Welcome to Episode 47 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast! We're so excited to be back with another episode after a break. We're back with an interview with Frank Bennett, the CEO of the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. We spoke with Frank while we were in Paducah for AQS QuiltWeek in April, and things have been a bit crazy over here at Quilt Addicts Anonymous ever since. As soon as I returned I had to hustle to finish multiple projects for Quilt Market in Portland. Check out my vlog that I did by (https://www.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/2018/05/behind-the-scenes-getting-ready-for-quilt-market-vlog/) clicking here (https://www.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/2018/05/behind-the-scenes-getting-ready-for-quilt-market-vlog/) to see all that went into getting ready for quilt market and the different projects I created. Also during that time we were working on shooting photos for my first book, Simple Quilts for the Modern Home (https://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/simple-quilts-for-the-modern-home-available-for-pre-order/), which is available for preorder. After that, we zeroed in on the launch of our FREE Beginner Quilting series sponsored by QT Fabrics. The series consists of 12 videos and teaches you everything you need to know about quilting from beginning to end. It has been great to see some of the responses to the videos and how it has been helpful for beginner and veteran quilters alike. Check out the videos at quiltaddictsanonymous.com/learntoquilt (http://quiltaddictsanonymous.com/learntoquilt) and download the FREE pattern (https://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/split-nine-patch-free-beginner-quilting-video-series-pattern/) to get a 20% off coupon for the supplies you'll need to get started! Listen to the episode to hear more about what we've been up to and what's coming next at Quilt Addicts Anonymous. Frank Bennett, CEO of the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Ky. It was great to chat with Frank Bennett, CEO of the National Quilt Museum, who took some time out of his very busy schedule to meet with me during the week of the big quilt show. It was my first visit to Paducah, and it is clear this is a huge week for the town and the museum. Frank and I chat about some of the exciting things going on in Paducah during show week as well as some of the exhibits at the museum. One of the big topics is the museum's Free Block of the Month Club (https://quiltmuseum.org/blockofthemonth/) which launched a few months ago. I am super excited to be one of the designers who will be doing a block for the club due out in April. Listen to the episode to hear what my block is and what I have planned. Learn more about the museum's free Block of the Month Club and sign up at the Facebook page by clicking here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/NQMBlockoftheMonth/about/). Thanks again for checking out Episode 47 of Sit & Sew Radio. Here's a link to the National Quilt Museum website (https://quiltmuseum.org/) if you want to learn more about what it has to offer.

Welcome to Episode 45 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. This week we are bringing back Malka Dubraswky to talk about her new fabric collection, Mark to Make, for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. You may remember Malka from her appearance on Episode 7 of Sit & Sew Radio, which you can listen to by clicking here (http://sitandsewradio.com/episodes/episode-7-malka-dubrawsky-jazz-impressions-at-the-san-jose-museum-of-quilts-and-textiles/). Before we get to the interview, we want to tell you a little bit about what is going on behind the scenes at Quilt Addicts Anonymous. The past week or so has been all about getting ready for our first trips to Chicago and Paducah! We are vending at Quilt Festival Chicago April 12-14 and then we’re going right to Kentucky for AQS QuiltWeek Spring Paducah 2018 April 18-21. If you are going to make it to one of the shows, we’d love for you to come say hi! We’ll be at Booth #2007 in Chicago and Booth #2106 in Paducah. Mention Sit & Sew Radio at our booth and get one of our $12 patterns for FREE with a $10 purchase at either show. We’ve also been spending a lot of time and effort on content generation for all of the Quilt Addicts Anonymous fans. In addition to the Sit & Sew Radio podcast, we’re pumping out new video tutorials all the time. All of our videos for the Dimensions Block of the Month are now available on YouTube, and we also have an exciting 12-part video tutorial series in the works. Check us out on YouTube here and subscribe. (https://www.youtube.com/quiltaddictsanonymous) My first book is also in production and photography should be happening soon, which is super exciting. The book is scheduled for release this fall. There’s also new patterns on the way and some magazine patterns later this summer. We are really excited for what 2018 will bring here at Quilt Addicts Anonymous. Malka Dubrawky, fabric designer, dyer, author and blogger Malka went to school to study studio art and turned to art quilting when she was at home raising kids. She received lots of recognition, and was featured in several publications, but eventually moved over to the modern quilting world when her desire shifted to creating more functional textiles that would inspire other quilters. Today we’re talking about her latest fabric collection, Mark to Make. This is Malka’s first true batik fabric collection that is produced by a major fabric manufacturer. We also discuss her increased productivity since moving her studio to her home, sewing garments and what inspires her outside of the sewing and quilting world. Learn more about Malka and her work at her website stitchindye.com (http://stitchindye.com).

Welcome to Episode 43 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. If you have been anywhere near your phone or a computer and you follow the who’s who of quilting celebrities on social media, chances are you heard the news that FreeSpirit has gotten a new lease on life. The brand that is home to some of the most well-known fabric designers in the industry was purchased by Jaftex, a family-owned company that also owns Henry Glass, Studioe, Blank Quilting and many more popular sewing industry brands. Scott Fortunoff, one of the fourth-generation owners of Jaftex came on the show to talk about the acquisition, how they plan to make FreeSpirit profitable and how this was the deal of a lifetime. The Kaffe Fassett Collective, Tula Pink, Anna Maria Horner and many other big designers are staying on with FreeSpirit under the new owners, and much of the support staff will remain in place as well. Scott Fortunoff, fourth generation owner Jaftex Scott and I also talk about the history of Jaftex, how it has evolved over its 88-year-history from Scott’s grandfather selling imperfect goods and leftover fabric lots to creating women’s sleepwear to acquiring fabric manufacturers that sell to retail chains and quilt shops. And with the acquisition of FreeSpirit, Scott is hopeful this means Jaftex will be around for his sons and nephews to be the fifth generations of Fortunoffs to run the company. You can learn more about Scott on his blog, Tales of a Fourth Generation Textile Executive. Click here (http://studioefabrics.net/blog/#.WpgYfJM-eqA) to check out his latest entries. If you would like to shop FreeSpirit fabric, we have lots to choose from over at shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product-category/fabric/free-spirit/). We are expecting to the complete line of Tula Pink All Stars to ship any day now. Plus, we have fabric from Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett, Anna Maria Horner and FreeSpirit Essential Solids.

Welcome to Episode 41 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. This week we have Natalia Bonner back on the show talking about her latest book, "Visual Guide to Free-Motion Quilting Feathers." Natalia was one of the first guests on this podcast and since that first appearance I have sent her several of my tops to be quilted. She is very talented and almost always includes fabulous feathers on everything I send her. Real quick before we get into the meat of the interview, we've got some new goodies over at shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product-category/see-whats-new/?orderby=date). We have a boatload of new pre-cuts from Anna Maria Horner, Carolyn Friedlander, Amy Butler and Maywood Studio. Plus, Dimensions Block of the Month books are now available for purchase and we've got a bunch of new patterns to inspire you including the super popular Lisa the Unicorn by Elizabeth Hartman, the creator of Fancy Forest. So click here (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product-category/see-whats-new/?orderby=date) to check out all the new goodies and get inspired for your next project. Natalia Bonner, Professional Quilter, Author It is no secret that I am a big fan of Natalia Bonner. Whenever I have a quilt that I don't feel I can do justice on the longarm, I send it to her, including the quilt I hope will be on the cover of my first book. Her 4-in-1 ruler is my most used template when I am doing ruler work on the longarm. Natalia's talents have been recognized by others as well. She won Best Machine Quilting at QuiltCon in 2017, and she has written five books including, "Visual Guide to Free-Motion Quilting Feathers" that we are talking about in today's episode. As you will hear in the interview, feathers are the quilting design I have yet to master. I have attempted them, but the results were pretty disastrous ... the quilt is still in time out. But I think I am ready to try again with Natalia's Book. She includes 68 modern feather designs in it, each with step-by-step instructions, with easy to understand photos, on how to recreate the feathers on your own quilt. It is a must have for anyone who wants to tackle this classic quilting stitch. You can listen to Natalia's previous appearances on the podcast in Episode 28, the QuiltCon 2017 edition, and Episode 4 (http://sitandsewradio.com/episodes/episode-4-natalia-bonner-saqa-and-mistyfuse/). You can learn more about her and purchase her book on her website piecenquilt.com (http://www.piecenquilt.com/).

Welcome to Episode 39 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. This week we are excited to have Darlene and Andy Girton of Featherweightdoctor.com (http://Featherweightdoctor.com). This husband and wife turned their passion for Singer Featherweights into a business in which they buy and restore the fabled workhorse sewing machines. They restore the machines to their original beauty or if you want something a little funkier, can create some pretty crazy finishes as well. We also give you a behind-the-scenes look into what Stephanie Soebbing is up to this week. Which basically is lots and lots of filming video tutorials for Dimensions - the 2018 Quilt Addicts Anonymous Block of the Month. Click here (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/dimensions-2018-block-of-the-month/) to read more about Dimensions and to sign up. Sign-ups are are open through the end of January and the first of 11 blocks, along with the pattern book, will be shipped in February. Also over at Quilt Addicts Anonymous, the Semi Annual Clearance Sale is going on. There are nearly 100 fabrics, patterns and books marked down 40% to 60% OFF. This is beautiful, high quality fabric from all the names you love, we've just had it for a while and it is time to make room for our new 2018 arrivals. There are lots of bolts that still have nine or more yards of fabric, making them great for quilt backs, so check out the sale, stock up and get some fabulous fabric for your stash! Click here to check it out. Darlene & Andy Girton, the Featherweight Doctors Darlene's love affair with the Featherweight 221 began about 15 years ago with Esther. Darlene was a self-taught quilter who was lugging around a "big, boat anchor sewing machine" to local classes in Washington state. One day the handle snapped off, and she decided she needed a change. Darlene, who eventually would become a professional long-arm quilter and machine quilt educator, needed something lighter. Something portable. She was starting to teach her own classes, and her old "boat anchor" wasn't cutting it any longer. Her husband, Andy found her a classic 1953 black Featherweight that weighed about 8 pounds. She called her Esther, the name of the original owner that was engraved all over the machine. "And that is where the love affair started," Darlene said. Esther became Darlene's traveling companion on retreats and classes. Soon Andy and Darlene began collecting the machines, picking them up at garage sales, antique shops, wherever they could find them. A few years ago the couple moved to the Phoenix area and things really took off. Andy would clean the old machines up, and Darlene would take them to classes and sell them. That's when they decided to make a family business out of the venture with featherweightdoctor.com (https://featherweightdoctor.com/). Andy does a lot of the restoration, with the help of their 18-year-old son as well as Andy's dad. Darlene finds the machines and tests them to make sure they are working as they should. Their daughter pitches in as well, with the official title of design assistant and queen of fun. In the podcast interview Darlene and Andy tell more about their story and the restoration process. Darlene says that while many prefer to restore the machines to their original glory, there is an up-and-coming group of ladies from the younger generation of sewers who prefer a fresh and fun look for their antique machines. Visit Featherweightdoctor.com (http://Featherweightdoctor.com) to learn more about Andy and Darlene and to see their work.

Welcome to Episode 37 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. This week we are thrilled to have Sit & Sew Radio alum Christa Watson back on the show for a third time. I interviewed Christa for this week’s episode here at Quilt Addicts Anonymous headquarters after she taught a class at our shop. Also joining us on this week’s show is Tiffany Jawor-Smith, the Marketing Brand Manager at Ink & Arrow. We chat a bit about her background and then get into the Ink & Arrow brand, which is the modern arm of Quilting Treasures, and what’s next for the fabric company. We are big fans of Ink & Arrow, because without them our latest pattern, Medallion Star (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/medallion-star-pattern/), could not have happened! And speaking of Medallion Star, we have limited edition quilt kits available in two colorways with guaranteed Christmas delivery! Click here to order yours. (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/medallion-star-quilt-kit-pattern-book-lyla-damask-version/) There is no coupon code for this week’s podcast, but be on the lookout for our upcoming 12 Days of Christmas deals beginning Friday at shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com)! If you’re not signed up for emails, make sure you click here (http://www.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/email-sign-up/) to sign up so you can know about all the sales. [caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="1200"](http://sitandsewradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_2194.jpg) Christa Watson works with a student during her free motion quilting class at Quilt Addicts Anonymous headquarters in Rock Island, IL.[/caption] Christa Watson, Quilting Triple Threat (http://sitandsewradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Christa-Watson-250x300.jpg) Christa Watson has pretty much done it all in the quilting world. She’s written three books. She’s an expert in machine quilting and a talented pattern designer. She’s also a fabulous teacher, which the Quad-Cities quilting community found out first hand this past weekend. And now, she has added fabric designer to the list. Last month Christa released her first fabric line, Modern Marks, through Benartex. In our interview, Christa and I chat about how she got started on her first fabric collection and the process to bring it to quilt shops near you. We also chat about her third book, “Piece and Quilt with Precuts.” (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/piece-and-quilt-with-precuts/) The book includes 11 projects, all made from precuts, that come with patterns to make the quilt tops as well as step-by-step instructions and diagrams to quilt them. Christa also gives some of her top tips for machine quilting. No. 1? Practice, practice, practice. Click here (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product-tag/christa-watson/) to check out all of Christa’s patterns, books and fabric at shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com). And learn more about Christa at christaquilts.com (https://christaquilts.com/). And check out her Craftsy class, Start Up Library: Quilting (http://shrsl.com/okq7) and The Quilter's Path (http://shrsl.com/okqk). (http://sitandsewradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/INK_IMAGE.jpg) Tiffany Jawor-Smith, Ink & Arrow Marketing Brand Manager

Welcome to Episode 35 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. This week we are thrilled to have renowned fabric designer Tula Pink as our guest. Tula, who just released her 25th fabric collection at Fall Quilt Market this past weekend, has withstood the test of time and remains a creative force in the industry. Speaking of market, we just unveiled our own new pattern, Medallion Star (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product/medallion-star-pattern/), to glowing reviews in Houston. Use this week’s coupon code MEDALLION10 to save $2 on a Medallion Star pattern at shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com. (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com/product-category/patterns/designer/quilt-addicts-anonymous/) It was so much fun to talk to Tula Pink, but this episode brought with it some new challenges. I spoke to Tula the week before market about her fantastic new products, AND I COULDN’T SAY A WORD ABOUT IT TO ANYONE. Not even my husband. In our interview, Tula discusses her great efforts ahead of this year’s market to keep her newest fabric collection top secret. In the past, word always seemed to creep out ahead of time. Now that market is over, I can’t wait to share this interview with you. Tula discusses her milestone 25th collection, Tula Pink All Stars, which is an incredible accomplishment that is not lost on Tula. To commemorate the occasion, Tula’s All Stars collection recreates some of her most iconic and coveted prints from her archive and gives them a color makeover. That includes the original Owl from Full Moon Forest, which is from her very first collection and holds special meaning to Tula as she notes in the interview. There’s also the Bee from Flutterby, Tail Feathers from Plume, Squirrel from The Birds & the Bees, Raccoon from Acacia and Frog Prince from Prince Charming. “With this 25th (collection) I wanted to really offer something special,” Tula said. “It felt like a big deal and I wanted to make it a big deal.” We also talk about Tula's new book, Coloring with Thread: Stitching A Whimsical World With Hand Embroidery. In this book, which is available for pre-order at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440248117/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1440248117&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwquiltaddic-20&linkId=1bc03015d47ce6e6c1176d238561e9d7), Tula’s most memorable fabric designs are brought to life by needle and thread along with instructions so you can do it at home. In our interview, Tula discusses the connection with her collaborators who stitched her designs featured in the book. “It was just a really cool way to bring in my followers and the people I’ve connected to on social media into a project with me, to let them have some ownership of it, because that’s really what I do,” Tula said. “I create a raw material, but it’s everything that everyone else makes out of it that sort of completes the collaborative process.” Also in the interview Tula opens up about her creative process, which is a fascinating listen coming from one of the most inventive creators in the business. To learn more about Tula Pink please visit tulapink.com (http://www.tulapink.com/). We hope you enjoy the episode!

For Episode 33 I hit the road to DeKalb, IL to check out the "Quilts and Human Rights" exhibit at Northern Illinois University's Pick Museum of Anthropology (http://niu.edu/pick-museum/). “Quilts and Human Rights” includes more than 50 quilts centered around themes of social justice from all over the world. These quilts were powerful, relevant and at times uncomfortable to look at while touching on important topics such as civil rights, sexual assault, immigration, race relations, apartheid and more. Real quick before we get into some really important topics in the quilting world and in society today. We have a special coupon code for this episode so listeners can save 25 percent on any single regular priced item at shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com (http://shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com). Just enter SEW33 at checkout to save. Laura McDowell Hopper, textile curator Back for her third appearance on the Sit & Sew Radio podcast is Laura McDowell Hopper. She is a curator at the Pick Museum by day and a quilt blogger at SonicStitchesQuilts.com (http://SonicStitchesQuilts.com) by night. Laura takes Stephanie through the exhibit as they discuss their favorites and most eye-opening pieces on display. With the visual element of this podcast so compelling, we decided to do an extended version of the podcast on YouTube so our listeners can look at pictures of the quilts as Stephanie and Laura discuss them in detail. You also will get an extra 19 minutes of content that just wouldn't fit in an hour long podcast episode. Following the interview, listen to an excerpt from a speech given by Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. at the opening of the exhibit as he discusses his personal connection with quilts and their social relevance. Check out our previous episodes featuring Laura! Episode 8 - Sonic Stitches and Freddie's Friends (http://sitandsewradio.com/episodes/episode-8-sonic-stitches-and-freddies-friends/) Episode 28 - The 2017 Quiltcon Edition (http://sitandsewradio.com/episodes/episode-8-sonic-stitches-and-freddies-friends/) Watch the unabridged episode with photos

Welcome to Episode 31 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. Today's episode features Amanda Murphy, Bernina spokesperson, author and fabric designer, and Rebecca Bryan, author, teacher and fourth generation quilter. Both interviews were recorded at QuiltCon and it was kind of fun to listen to them a couple months after they were initially recorded. At one point Rebecca Bryan and I were talking about the brick and mortar version of Quilt Addicts Anonymous, which at the time I was still considering an open studio. Now it is definitely a full blown quilt shop, complete with staff, a large class space and fabulous modern fabrics. That just shows you how much can change in a couple months. And speaking of the shop, the Spring Clearance Sale is happening right now. There are nearly 100 fabrics, bundles, thread packs and patterns that are on sale. Right now they are 25% off, but the price will continue to drop over the next two weeks as we move some of the items that have been around for a bit to make room for the new fabrics arriving in May. so click here to check it out and get a great deal. Bernina, Amanda Murphy Designs, Benartex, Amanda Murphy, Nordic Holiday, Amanda Murphy, fabric designer, author Bernina, Amanda Murphy Designs, Benartex, Amanda Murphy, Nordic Holiday, Amanda Murphy started her career in the quilting industry as a fabric designer for Benartex. With a background in graphic design, creating beautiful prints for fabrics was a natural starting point. From there she began authoring books on quilting, signed on as a spokesperson for Bernina and now travels the country teaching people to improve their quilting and let go of mistakes. In our interview Amanda shares some great tips on how to improve your free motion quilting (hint: it includes listening to podcasts like this one) and which comes first for her, the fabric design or the quilt she wants to make with the fabric. Amanda's new fabric line Nordic Holiday with Benartex is shipping to quilt shops this month. You can learn more about Amanda by visiting her website, amandamurphydesign.com. Rebecca Bryan, Modern Triangle Quilts, Bryan House Quilts Rebecca Bryan, author, teacher Rebecca Bryan, Modern Triangle Quilts, Bryan House QuiltsRebecca Bryan is a fourth generation quilter who became obsessed with quilting after discovering modern colors and fabrics. She started pursuing quilting as a career after her first book idea came to her in a dream. She took it as a sign that quilting was supposed to be more than a hobby and today she has published two books, is working on a series of online classes and is working on her first fabric line. In our interview we talk about how she developed a career for herself, developing her own sense of color and design from her traditional roots and how she balances career and being a mom to four kids. To learn more about Rebecca, visit her website bryanhousequilts.com.

Welcome to Episode 29 of Sit & Sew Radio, a Quilt Addicts Anonymous podcast. I love all my guests. Having a half hour conversation with fabulous people in the quilting industry each week is one of the best parts of my week. But every once in a while I get to interview someone who has been a major part of my quilting journey. This week both of my guests hold that honor. We have the fabulous Angela Walters, one of the most well known names in the quilting industry who is an amazingly talented longarm quilter and Alex Veronelli, the chief business development officer and face of Aurifil. I have followed both for years, taking just about every Craftsy class Angela filmed and being constantly inspired by Alex's tweets. I spoke with Angela over the phone a couple weeks ago and caught up with Alex at QuiltCon last month. Since they both were integral parts of QuiltCon, and not everyone gets the chance to travel to the show, I am offering a special coupon code to use on Aurifil threads and modern quilt fabrics from Free Spirit Fabrics and Art Gallery Fabrics on shop.quiltaddictsanonymous.com. I just got some of Tula Pink's new Tabby Road collection and you can even use it on there. Just use the code SITANDSEW10 at checkout to get your discount. Angela Walters, Longarm Quilter, author, teacher Angela Walters, Midnight Quilt Show, Craftsy, QuiltConAngela Walters is an author, Craftsy instructor and host of The Midnight Quilt Show, a new YouTube series produced by Craftsy, Angela always seems to have a new project going on. In our interview we talk about how Angela went from buying a longarm as a new quilter to one of the mot recognizable faces in the quilting industry. We also get into what it is like to own her own quilt shop, how she manages to get so much done and what really is in those wine glasses during the filming of The Midnight Quilt Show. Learn more about Angela, find links to the her Craftsy classes and The Midnight Quilt Show on her website www.quiltingismytherapy.com. Alex Veronelli, Chief Business Development Officer Aurifil Thread Aurifil, Alex VeronelliIf you know Aurifil Thread, chances are you also know Alex Veronelli. He is constantly sharing inspiring projects created with Aurifil Thread on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, challenging everyone who follows him to also create something beautiful. Alex took some time out at QuiltCon to chat with me. We covered the process of making Aurifil Thread, his need for Italian espresso, jet lag and what it is like to be thought of as a sexy man in the quilting industry. I totally have to hand in my Italian card on this interview. I am half Italian, my family has at least half-a-dozen pasta sauce recipes depending on what noodles are being served. But my Italian is limited to hello, goodbye, grandpa and a few colorful words I won't write here. So I my pronunciation of Alex's name and Aurifil pales in comparison to how beautiful it sounds coming from a native Italian speaker. You jut have to listen to Alex say it. Learn more about Aurifil Thread at aurifil.com.